There's No Way I'll Fall For YOU!
by twilightluver4evr
Summary: After breaking up with her jerk of a boyfriend, Bella Swan has promised herself that she will never fall in love again. But she meets Edward Cullen, a player, in her new school. He is determined to change to win her heart. Will she let that happen?
1. Meeting The Gang

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. All belong to the brilliant Stephenie Meyer.

**There's No Way I'll Fall for YOU**

**Summary: **After breaking up with her jerk of a boyfriend, Bella Swan has promised herself that she will never fall in love again. But she meets Edward Cullen, a player, in her new school. He is determined to change to win her heart. Will that promise be broken? AU, All Human, OOC

Chapter One

This is it. There's no turning back now. This is my first attempt at a regular school. I had been tutored my whole life. I was now starting my junior year at the prestigious Wellington Academy in California where my cousins, Rosalie and Jasper Hale are attending as well. I just hope they recognize who I am. But they're not the only reason why I picked this school. It's also because this school is known for its Music Program which I hope will help me deepen my love for music and singing. I also decided to move as far away as I could from Andrew Winston, my horrible ex-boyfriend.

Who am I, you ask? Well, I'm Isabella Marie Swan but I prefer Bella. I have boring features – brown hair and brown eyes. Some people insist that I'm beautiful but I never believe them. The only interesting thing about my life would be my parents' jobs. My father, Charlie, is the head of the CSI team back home in New York. My mother, Renee, is a lawyer who takes charge of the families of the victims of my father's cases. Like I said, their jobs are the ONLY interesting aspects of my life.

The moment I stepped in the campus, I took out my iPhone and sent Rosalie a text.

_Hey R. It's me, B. I'm in the campus already._

_Where are you guys?_

She replied almost right away.

_Hey B. Can't wait to see you! We're in the cafeteria._

_See you in 5!_

I quickly walked to the cafeteria looking for the two blonde heads. I found them sitting with two other people, one had curly dark brown hair, and another had spiky black hair. My cousins had their backs turned away from me. I surveyed my outfit. It was a black ruffled skirt that reached my knees, a baby pink spaghetti-strapped top covered by my black poncho. On my feet was a pair of pink ballet flats. I knew Rosalie was going to approve of my outfit.

Taking a deep breath, I started walking towards them.

"Hey Jazz, hey Rose. Miss me?" I asked in a sweet voice when I reached their table.

Both of them looked at me like I had two heads. The girl with the spiky black hair glared at me. She must be Jasper's girlfriend. I rolled my eyes. I showed my cousins the heart-shaped locket with a "B" that they gave just before they left for high school. Their eyes widened.

"BELLA!" Rose squealed. I laughed as I gave her a tight hug.

"Hey Bella," Jasper said, sounding calm.

"How's my favorite emo boy?" I asked him, ruffling his hair. He laughed and gave me a hug.

"Who is she, Jasper?" I heard the other girl asked with a tone of jealousy and irritation in her voice. She must have thought Jasper was cheating on her. She was Jasper's opposite. Jasper was around 6'3 while she looked to be about 4'10. She also looked very spontaneous and talkative while Jasper had always been the quiet type.

I decided it was time to introduce myself. I held out my hand to her. "Hi, I'm Bella Swan. I'm their cousin. I take it you're his girlfriend?"

Her glare softened into a look of shock. She then giggled. "And I thought Jasper was cheating on me! By the way, I'm Alice Cullen."

I laughed. I looked at the other boy on the table. He was tall and very burly. He, too, was laughing and so was Rosalie. "I'm Emmett also known as the pixie's older, stronger, good-looking brother!" the other boy exclaimed which earned him a smack in the head from Rosalie and Alice.

"So, is this the guy you were emailing me about every day?" I asked Rose. She looked down at the table and nodded.

Just then two other people approached our table. One was a gorgeous bronze-haired boy who was muscular but not burly and was about 6'2. He had sparkling emerald green eyes. The other one was a blonde who dressed like a slut. Probably was one also.

"What the hell are you doing on my seat?!" the blonde screamed, infuriated.

"YOUR seat? Sorry, didn't know that. It was unoccupied when I got here," I said with a shrug.

"Oh, really? And who do you think _you_ are, sitting with them?!" she screamed at me.

I looked at her, smiled, and said, "Isabella Swan. Nice meeting you under such circumstances," as sweetly as I could and I saw from the corner of my eyes that the others were looking shocked at how calmly I responded. "And you are?"

"UGH!" she screamed, frustrated, and walked, I mean, stomped away, the bronze-haired boy following after her. Must have been her boyfriend.

"Nice meeting you, Ugh!" I called back as she walked away. I looked back at the others who were laughing so hard they had to hold on to each other.

"How did you do that?" Alice asked after somewhat calming down. "No one had ever stood up against her like that, except me and Rose. No one else though, even the new ones. But, we hate her. We only tolerate her because she's my brother's girl this week."

"I have no idea how I did that. So what's Ugh's real name?" I asked.

"Lauren Mallory. School bitch extraordinaire," Rosalie said.

Just then I noticed that the bronze-haired boy was walking back to the table. "Your brother's coming back," I told Alice, jerking my thumb to his direction.

"Edward," Alice said curtly.

"Where's your girl for today, _Eddie_?" Emmett sneered.

"None of your business, Emmett," Edward snapped. "Who's she?"

This time Jasper spoke up. "She's Bella, my cousin. I treat her like my younger sister so if you hurt her in any way, you will regret it. Do you understand?!"

"Okay, okay! Dude, calm down! It's not like I'm planning on anything!" he said, lifting his hands up, as if to surrender. "I'll be back. I'm going to grab some lunch."

"I wouldn't believe that so soon, Jasper. You know how Edward is. Knowing him, he'll be able to think of something," Alice reminded her boyfriend, as soon as Edward was out of earshot.

"Just take care of yourself, Bella. I don't want you to fall for his tricks," Rosalie told me sternly.

I nodded my head just as Edward came back and my cellphone started ringing. "I'll take this call first, 'kay?"

I looked at the name in my caller ID. As soon as I saw it, I smiled.

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Is it any good? Please R&R. This is my first story, by the way.


	2. Learning About The Past

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. All belong to the brilliant Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter Two

"Hey Emily! How's everything back there?" I greeted my best friend.

"Bella! I'm missing you already. Wait, let me put you one speaker. The rest of the gang is here."

A few seconds later, I heard a chorus of "Hey Bella!" from the rest.

I laughed. "Hey guys! I miss you already! I promise to visit soon, okay?"

"You should, Bells. Now no one can help me with Leah's wrath!" screamed Jacob. I heard a smack which I assumed was from Leah.

"Don't worry, Jake. I'm sure you'll survive," I said, laughing.

"Say hi to Rose for us!" I heard Leah and Emily say.

"Wait. I'll pass her the phone," I told them. I looked at Rose. "The girls wanted to say hi."

A few moments later, Rose returned my phone. "So, did you have any boyfriends back home?"

I felt all of their gazes as I started looking interested at the table designs. I quickly mumbled, "Don't want to talk about it. Please?"

I quickly saw my cousins exchange curious glances. Jasper told me, "If anyone hurt you, Bella, I swear I'll get on the first plane back to New York and…"

I cut him off. "It's okay guys," I assured them. "Jake, Sam, and the rest took care of him and well, they did some things to him and it, uhm, involved my dad and his team dragging them out due to their behavior but Charlie let them off easy because they were only protecting me."

They chuckled at that. "Well, looks like they took great care of you. Remind me to thank them for that," Rose said.

The Cullen siblings looked confused. Emmett spoke up, "What do you mean by 'drag them out' and let them off easy'?"

I gave them a sweet, evil smile. "That's for me to know and you to find out."

Just then, Rose realized something. "Where are your suitcases?"

"Mom said that they were sent here already," I told her.

Both girls squealed. "I knew those were your suitcases!" Rose exclaimed.

"Roommates! Awesome! Which room are we staying in?" I asked.

"My parents were able to make arrangements to put us in the large penthouse-like room on the top floor. It has two bedrooms so we don't have to worry about rooming. Girls occupy one room while the guys occupy the other," Alice said.

"Cool! I think I should go check it out."

"We'll all go with you!" Emmett exclaimed.

We arrived in the room shortly after that. Good thing they had elevators here because I will never walk ten floors to get to the room. It was huge! It had a kitchen, a living room, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. There was a plasma TV, a Wii, and a DVD player.

The moment I stepped into the girls' room, I heard Alice and Rosalie lock the door behind them. The room was awesome. The walls were a lavender color. It had three queen-sized beds and a couple of beanbags on the carpeted floor.

"Tell us everything about your ex-boyfriend. The whole story," Rose said sternly.

I plopped down on one of the beds and started my story. "Uhm, his name was Andrew. He was Jake's neighbor. He was very sweet and great but after a month, he became distant. I thought it was just schoolwork making him like that. But one afternoon, I went to his house and I saw him making out on his with another girl. When he saw me, he just said, 'You know what this means, right?' I ran to Jake's house crying. Everyone else was there. Then, they all barged into his house and beat him up like there was no tomorrow. My dad then showed up. He tried to control the guys but they wouldn't calm down. In the end, he and his guys had to drag them out of the house. A few days later, he showed up at my doorstep pleading for my forgiveness, saying that he didn't mean any of it but I heard nothing of it. I saw what I saw and there was no changing that. Up until now, he calls me sometimes to beg." Their faces flashed with feelings from anger, amusement, annoyance, and worry.

"Have you dated anyone after him?" Alice asked curiously.

"Nope," I told her, popping the _p_. "I promised myself not to go through all the pain again."

"Come on, Bella. Don't be so harsh. You'll find your soul mate like Alice and I did," Rose encouraged me, her bright blue eyes told me that she was serious.

"That may be for you, Rosalie. Apparently, it isn't that simple for me. No one will fall in love with me. I'm plain and boring!"

Rose shook her head. "You don't see yourself clearly, do you? You are beautiful, Bella! You're the whole package! You have brains, beauty, and charm."

I knew that this conversation was a lost cause. I will never be able to change Rosalie's beliefs once she has made up her mind.

I sighed. "Could we continue this conversation tomorrow? I'm beat."

They nodded and walked out the door but not before Alice gave me a look that said 'this case is not closed'.

I closed my eyes and fell into a dreamless slumber, wondering what will be in store for my first day of school tomorrow.

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I'll update sooner if I get reviews! heehee.


	3. The First Day of School

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. All belong to the brilliant Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter Three

I woke up when I felt someone bouncing up and down my bed. It was Alice. I looked at my clock on the bedside table. It was only 5:30 in the morning!

"Ugh! Alice! It's too early! Classes don't start 'til eight! Can't I get another hour of sleep?"

Rosalie spoke up from the closet where she was choosing her outfit. "No, Bella. Alice and I are here to make you look perfect on your first day!"

"Oh no, Rose! Why must you torment me so? My clothes are fine! Have you taken a look at them?"

"Of course we did, Bella. We think they're lovely. We just want to dress you up. Aunt Renee bought these for you, am I right? You've always hated shopping," Rosalie snickered.

I noticed Alice's eyes widen. "YOU DON'T LIKE SHOPPING?! DON'T WORRY! WE'RE HERE TO MAKE YOU LOVE IT!"

I grimaced. "That isn't my idea of fun, Alice. Playing Barbie Bella isn't either."

"Please, Bella?" Alice asked, giving me a sad puppy dog look. It was just so heartbreaking!

I huffed. "Fine. There isn't any other choice anyway."

Two hours later, I was shampooed, combed, straightened, made up, and dressed for my first day of school. Alice dressed me in white slacks, a black and green top, and white two-inch heels. I tried to protest about the heels because I was sure that I would trip a lot but Alice and Rosalie just gave me a death glare.

English was my first class. It went by in a breeze since I have always loved learning literature. Shakespeare, Emily Bronte, and Jane Austen were among my favorite authors. My History and Trigonometry classes also passed by quickly.

My class before lunch was Music Appreciation. This was one class I knew I would love…or so I thought. Edward Cullen was in the class as well. He was with the bimbo I saw him with yesterday. He was in a serious make out session. I have developed a certain dislike for jerks and players after the Andrew incident. So, don't blame me. It's also not nice looking at couples making out by the door now, is it?

I was sitting on the seat I chose – the empty one by the window which was looking out to the sea. I was deep in thought about the conversation I had with the girls the night before when I heard the teacher call me.

"Class, we have a new student with us today," the teacher, Mrs. Baltazar, started to say. She looked like someone you wouldn't want to mess with. Her eyes were a dark brown that when you looked into them, you would be scared like hell. "Miss Swan, it would be greatly appreciated if you would show us what you are made of. After all, not everyone is given a chance to take this class. Which do you do, sing or play an instrument?"

"Could I sing?" I asked timidly.

"Sure. Whatever you're comfortable with."

I gave her a nod. I was thinking about which song to sing. I decided to sing Avril Lavigne's 'My Happy Ending' since I thought it was right on about my current status – heartbroken.

I put my iPod on the dock on the teacher's table. The words flowed naturally out of my mouth.

_So much for my happy ending  
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh..._

__

_Let's talk this over  
It's not like we're dead  
Was it something I did?  
Was it something you said?  
Don't leave me hanging  
In a city so dead  
Held up so high  
On such a breakable thread_

_You were all the things I thought I knew  
And I thought we could be_

_Chorus:__  
You were everything, everything that I wanted  
We were meant to be, supposed to be, but we lost it  
And all of the memories, so close to me, just fade away  
All this time you were pretending  
So much for my happy ending  
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh..._

_You've got your dumb friends  
I know what they say  
They tell you I'm difficult  
But so are they  
But they don't know me  
Do they even know you?  
All the things you hide from me  
All the stuff that you do_

_You were all the things I thought I knew  
And I thought we could be_

_(Chorus)_

_It's nice to know that you were there  
Thanks for acting like you cared  
And making me feel like I was the only one  
It's nice to know we had it all  
Thanks for watching as I fall  
And letting me know we were done_

_(Chorus x2)_

_Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh...  
So much for my happy ending  
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh..._

I finished my song and looked at my teacher and classmates. They all looked shocked. I did not get why. I just shrugged, took out my iPod, and walked back to my seat.

Mrs. Baltazar was the first one to recover. She smirked and said, "Looks like Mr. Cullen has got some serious competition. I think it would be a great idea if both of you work together for the school program this spring. Both of you would perform on stage. Miss Swan will be providing the vocals while Mr. Cullen will be providing the piano accompaniment. And this will make up for a third of your final grade!" She said this with finality, which meant 'you have to do this or else'.

Edward turned to my direction and gave me a grin. I snorted and rolled my eyes.

"Is there a problem, Miss Swan?" Mrs. Baltazar asked.

"Uhm, n-no ma'am! I'm f-fine!" I stuttered. I didn't want to get on any teacher's bad side on my first day here.

"Good. That's what I thought."

I hit my head again and again on my table, cursing under my breath. Great, my first day at a regular school and I get paired up with the school's biggest player! Talk about bad luck.

I was entirely grateful when the class was dismissed. I swiftly exited the room, thankful that I didn't trip in my rush.

I was walking to the cafeteria when someone grabbed my arm and led me to a dim-lighted corner. I turned to face the one who grabbed it.

I glared at Edward. "What the hell do you want, Cullen?"

"Well, since we're going to be partners in that presentation, what do you think about getting to know each other before we start the practice?" he asked with a wink.

_Uh-oh, that didn't sound right! I don't like the sound of this!_ I thought frantically.

But before I could answer, he crashed his lips against mine.

* * *

**So sorry if I made Edward a jerk. Don't worry, he'll change his ways...hopefully. Please R&R! I'll try to post another chapter soon!**

**Oh, and by the way, I'm not using the names of the teachers mentioned in the actual book. Just giving you a heads up.**


	4. The Kiss and The Queen Bee

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. All belong to the brilliant Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter Four

The moment his lips met mine I felt a spark enter my body. It felt so good. Wait, WHAT? I can't be kissing him! I did the most reasonable thing to do.

SMACK! I slapped him.

"What the hell was that for?!" I demanded.

"Bella, I didn't mean to do that! I swear! I don't know what got into me! My only intention was to talk and know more about you and set a practice schedule!" he pleaded.

"Riiight. And you expect me to believe that lie? I know guys like you, Edward – treating girls like they're just a piece of meat. Well, newsflash, I'm not like that. I don't want to be treated that way. I have feelings! Damn it! You have a girlfriend! I don't care if you're the best-looking guy here. All I want is a guy who has a great personality, something you obviously don't have. I want him to like me for who I am and not what I look like!" And with that I stomped off to my original destination – the cafeteria. Tears started streaming down my face and my clumsiness decided to take over. I braced myself for the impact of the fall but instead I felt two arms wrapped around my waist. I immediately knew who it was. I quickly pushed him away and walked in the cafeteria.

I had already lost my appetite so I immediately look for the others. I spotted them sitting on a table far away from the hustle and the bustle of the students.

I made my way to them, sat down, and buried my head in my hands. I groaned. "This is the worst mistake I have made in my life!"

"Bella, calm down! What happened?" a concerned Alice asked me.

"What happened?!" I screeched. "Your brother existed! That's what happened!"

"Oh god, I'm sorry! What did he do?"

I sighed. "Don't apologize for him Alice. It's his fault, not yours." I then told them what had happened in the hallway a few moments ago.

After I finished telling my tale, I noticed that Jasper and Rosalie had turned red with anger.

"Guys, calm down! I'm okay. Nothing happened to me. I promise I won't let him get to my head, alright? Besides, I wouldn't want to hurt myself, not anymore," I assured them. They all gave me a quick nod. The bell rang, signaling the start of our next class. Mine was Biology.

I entered the laboratory a few minutes before the teacher, Mr. Costello, entered.

"Excuse me, miss? Are you Isabella?" Mr. Costello asked.

"Yes, sir, although I prefer being called Bella," I answered politely.

He gave me a quick nod before saying, "Your assigned lab partner will be Mr. Cullen."

I gave a small smile to the teacher and proceeded to the table. I began to take down notes on what the teacher was explaining about. The class passed without an exchange of words between me and Edward.

When I exited the classroom, I came face to face with a fuming Lauren. With her was another girl. She had wild curly hair that somehow made up for her lack of height. They were both dressed in the same manner. Disgusting.

"Since you're new here, we'll go easy on you. That's Jessica Stanley. I'm sure you know me. Edward Cullen is ours. Not yours! So stop flirting with him! And we would like you to stay away from him and his little friends. Got it?!" she spat out.

I rolled my eyes. "First, I'll never go after _your_ Edward. I don't go for guys like him. Second, I can't stay away from his friends because, a) the Hales are my cousins, and b) I stay in the same room as his sister and Rosalie!" I retorted.

We stared each other down for a few moments before I finally said, "If you've got nothing else to say, I might as well head off to my next class. Buh-bye!" and with that, I straightened up and walked away towards my French class.

I was glad that I didn't have that class with any of the bimbos. Our French teacher, Mademoiselle Anne Michelle, was very nice. She acted less of a teacher and more of a friend. I also met Angela Weber, a quiet and shy girl who turned out to be pretty great, Mike Newton, a blonde who seemed to have a crush on me, and Eric Yorkie, the chess club type of guy.

After class, I rushed back to the room to drop off my bag and books. I decided to take a walk by the beach. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore always seemed to calm me down. I quickly changed into a pair of shorts and a blue tank top. I grabbed my blue flip flops and iPod, and headed out the door.

As it turned out, the beach wasn't that far away so I didn't need to worry about getting lost. I sat on the sand thinking about the day's events.

* * *

**Sorry about the short chapter. I don't think it was good. I promise a longer chapter when I update. By the way, I won't be able to update until late Saturday or sometime Sunday. We'll be having a family reunion so I'll be busy 'til then. Please R&R.**


	5. Pizza and Apologies

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. All belong to the brilliant Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter Five

"BELLA! There you are!" a voice chirped from behind me, snapping me out of my thoughts and startling me.

"ALICE! Do you have to do that?" I asked. I put my hand over my chest, trying to slow down my heartbeats.

"Do what, Bella?" she asked innocently.

"Scare me like that! I almost had a heart attack!"

She rolled her eyes. "You're overdramatic, do you know that? Anyway, I came here to tell you that we're going to the mall for some pizza. Wanna join us?"

"Uhm, sure. Just let me change, okay?"

"Ooh! Let me dress you!" she told me, giving me her sad, puppy-like look.

I sighed. "I don't have much of a choice now, do I?"

She dragged me back to the room. She rummaged through my closet to look for a casual attire. She eventually dressed me in skinny jeans, a white off the shoulder tee, and a pair of white ballet flats. I wore a white headband to keep my hair in place and applied a bit of lip gloss.

Alice told me that we were going to ride with Rosalie who was already with Jasper and Emmett in her car.

"Nice ride, Rose," I said as I got in her blood red BMW M3.

"Thanks," she responded with a smile.

We arrived in the mall a few minutes later, thanks to Rosalie's driving. As it turned out, they all loved the speed. I didn't. I felt nauseated.

"Guys? I think I need to sit for a while," I told them the moment we entered the pizza parlor.

The girls gave me a worried look. Rosalie spoke up. "You look sick."

"Thanks for the help, Rose," I muttered sarcastically.

"You girls stay with Bella. We'll take care of the orders," Emmett told us.

"So Bella, has anyone caught your attention here yet?" Alice asked me once the boys were out of earshot.

"No. I'm not planning on that happening either," I said.

"Oh, Bella, why are you so stubborn?" Rosalie asked, exasperated.

"I'm not!" I retorted. "I'm just taking precautions."

They didn't buy my response. Alice was the one who spoke. "This isn't right, Bella! You should get over him. If he did that to you, then he wasn't worth your time!"

I rolled my eyes. "Do you think it's that easy? You guys are lucky. You found your soul mates on your first try. No heartbreaks, no heartaches."

Our conversation was cut short because the boys came back with our food. They were bringing two large pepperoni pizzas and five glasses of soda.

"Isn't that too much?" I whispered to Rosalie.

"Nope, that's normal for the guys especially Emmett," she whispered back.

"Oh! I guess that explains it," I responded just as the boys sat down. We immediately started eating seeing as we were all starving.

"So, I heard that you and Edward are doing a presentation?" Jasper asked in between bites.

"Yeah, aren't I just the luckiest?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well, look at who is coming this way," Emmett informed us. We all turned our gaze towards the direction he was looking at. Edward walked in at that moment. He spotted us. He frowned when he saw me. He walked up to the counter to order his food. He then took a seat at the farthest table he could find.

"Well, that's…odd," Alice mumbled.

"Huh? What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"Edward. He usually doesn't eat alone. Most of the time, he's either surrounded by his friends or his fan club," Jasper explained to me.

"So? Why is it such a big deal?"

This time, it was Alice who talked. "You don't get it do you? Edward is one of those guys you _never_ see alone in public places. He's either with his friends or with a girl around his arm. And the tables he usually gets would be right smack in the middle, not in one of the dark, depressing corners. He's popular, remember?"

My mouth formed an 'O' shape. Rosalie chuckled. "You know, for someone so smart, you are pretty slow in getting things."

We finished our food moments later. Alice, Rosalie and I had only eaten a slice each. The boys consumed all the rest. It was such a sight to see. Emmett kept stuffing his mouth with pizza every few seconds. He ate most of the pizza. Jasper ate about a fourth of how much Emmett ate except he ate it carefully, making sure he wouldn't choke on anything.

We made our way back to the school. The others went straight to bed since they said they were tired. I had asked if we should leave the door unlocked since Edward wasn't here yet but they told me it was not necessary because he had spare keys.

I quickly changed into my light blue silk pajamas. I put on my favorite bunny bedroom slippers. I booted up my laptop and decided to check my emails since it was still early. I opened up my account and saw an email from my parents. I decided to stay on the kitchen table so that I wouldn't disturb anybody.

_Hey honey! Dad and I miss you terribly. How's everything going there?__Say hi to your cousins for me, would you? See you soon! Love you._

Just then, a wave of nostalgia hit me. I did not realize how much I missed my parents. I sighed and began to type my response.

_Hey mom. I miss you guys too. I'm doing okay here, I guess. My Music Appreciation teacher wanted me to present something during one of the school programs this spring. I know that it's a great opportunity but then my partner and I aren't in really good terms at the moment. Oh well. Anyway, have you gotten any good cases lately? I miss helping you guys out. Say hi to everyone there for me. Love you too._

I sent off my message and sighed. I stared sadly at the screen for such a long time that I did not hear the door opening and that someone was there until I heard a voice speak.

"Hey, are you okay?"

I was about to scream but when I turned around; I realized that it was just Edward.

"Oh, uhm, yeah, I'm fine," I replied weakly.

"Okay."

"And, uh, I'm so sorry about my outburst this morning. I let my temper get the better of me," I said, looking at my feet.

He grabbed a chair and took a seat beside me. "It's okay, Bella. It's not your fault. After all, I was the one who kissed you. You have every right to get mad. I thought about everything you said. No one aside from Alice and Rosalie actually had the courage to tell me that. I should be the one apologizing, you know? Because you were right. I wasn't treating those girls properly. So here it goes: I'm truly and deeply sorry for what I did this morning. Would it be possible for us to start over?"

I looked at him and he looked like he really meant those words. He didn't look like the cocky, conceited jerk.

I gave him a small smile and held out my hand. "Sure. Friends?"

He smiled back and shook my hand. "Friends."

I felt the same spark as this morning. I immediately jerked back my hand. I noticed that he did the same thing.

"I guess it's time for bed. Goodnight, Edward," I told him as I was getting up from my chair and turned my laptop off.

"Goodnight, Bella. Oh, and cute slippers by the way."

I felt the familiar warmth creep up my cheeks. "Thanks."

"See you tomorrow, Bella," he said just before he closed the door to the guys' room.

I turned back and gave him a smile. "Yeah, see you."

* * *

**I'm so sorry I wasn't able to update sooner. When I got home from all the fun of the reunion, I had writer's block and I didn't know what to write. So sorry. Oh, and please review! And please do send ideas also... thanks. )**


	6. Seeing A Friend and A Call From Home

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. All belong to the brilliant Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter Six

I was glad that I was able to wake up ahead of Alice the next day. I took a quick shower and picked my own outfit. I settled for a white A-line skirt, a dark blue collared polo and my white ballet flats. I kept the front part of my hair with a blue barrette and walked into the kitchen to get some breakfast.

I grabbed a spoon, a bowl and a carton of milk, and began to open the cupboards to look for some cereal.

"Good morning, Bella!" Emmett boomed from the doorway.

"Hey, Em!" I greeted back while I was still opening cupboards. Emmett stood there for a while the he shrugged and walked back to the room.

"Where do they keep their cereal?" I mumbled, mostly to myself.

"There's some in the second door from the right, at the very back," I heard Edward say softly behind me.

"Oh, okay. Thanks," I said as I grabbed the box. I poured in a bowlful, some milk, and started to eat. "Don't you want any?"

"No, thanks anyway," he told me. I shrugged and continued to eat. Alice and Rose came in just as I was finishing up.

"Good Morning!" I greeted them.

"Hey, Bella!" Rose greeted back. "Nice outfit! Looks like we're finally starting to rub off on you."

I rolled my eyes and waited for them to finish their breakfast. Emmett and Jasper came in shortly after they started eating.

I waited for them to finish up but then they were just taking too long. I excused myself, telling them that I should be going. I grabbed my book bag from the couch and walked toward the classrooms. On my way there, a noticed a familiar baby-faced, blue-eyed boy with spiky blonde hair walking towards the same building I was going to.

"Mike? Is that you?" I called out to the boy who looked up.

"Bella?" he said as he grabbed me into a big hug.

"Oh my god, Mike! I didn't know you study here!" I exclaimed as I hugged him back. Mike was my other best friend, and Jake's other neighbor. Every time they start to pair up, we would always sneak out and go back to his house to talk.

"I missed you, Bells. I didn't meet anyone as fun as you were after we moved across town."

"I missed you, too, Mike. I didn't have anyone to go to anymore when all the others were too caught up with each other and started to get mushy."

He laughed at that. "So I'm guessing that all the couples are still together?"

"You got that right! They're all stronger than ever."

"So, what have you been up to these past three years?" he asked.

"Not much. Same old stuff. You? Do you have anyone special?"

"Nope. I did date a few times though. The worst was probably Jessica Stanley. She was such an airhead. And to top it all off, she only dated me because I'm friend of Edward Cullen and she thought that she could get to him through me," he said. "What about you?"

"Well, you remember Andrew? Your other neighbor?"

His face fell. "You mean the guy who dates several girls at the same time?"

"Yeah, except I didn't know that then since I didn't go to regular school before. So, anyway, we started 'hanging out' and then I found out about another girl and then, the end."

He looked at me with concern. "In that case, I should warn you about Edward. I mean, he's my friend and all but sometimes, he's too much to handle."

"Oh don't worry about him. He already tried to but I was able to handle it."

He gave me a small nod. We continued to catch up on each other's lives until the first bell rang. My first three classes passed without incident.

I walked into my Music Appreciation class. Mrs. Baltazar told us that our current assignment would be to write a song and a melody to accompany it.

"The winning piece will be the one Isabella and Edward will perform during their presentation," she said as she shot a glance at me and Edward.

Everyone gave her a quick nod and started to write. I took a seat in front one of the pianos at the back of the room. I began to hum a familiar melody – one that had been stuck on my head since yesterday when I was told that I was going to perform with Edward. I started to write the things down as words came popping into my head. The hour quickly passed and I made my way to the cafeteria.

"Hey," I greeted everyone as I sat down the table. I didn't bother buying anything because I wasn't hungry.

"Hi!" Alice greeted back.

"Aren't you hungry, Bella?" Rose asked me.

"Nah. Don't feel like eating."

"Oh, and we're going shopping this afternoon. Last period is cancelled since the teachers have a meeting or something. And you're NOT backing out," Alice added.

I groaned. "Fine, but I'll be spending for my clothes."

"Deal. We'll be waiting for you outside your classroom after our class."

I gave her a quick nod just as my phone started to ring. I answered the call.

"Bella, thank goodness you answered your phone!" Leah's frantic voice exclaimed from the other end.

"Leah? What's wrong?" I asked.

"I-it's J-Jake," she stuttered, just before she broke into a loud sob.

I started to panic. "What happened?"

This time it was Emily who responded. I guess that Leah was too distraught. "He…he got into…an accident."

I felt the blood drain from my face and tears started to fall. "How is he?"

"H-he's unconscious."

"I'll be on the first flight back to New York tomorrow," I told her as I broke into a sob.

"No, Bella. You can't miss school. It's only your first week! We'll handle everything here I promise."

"I can't do that! I need to be there for Jake!"

Emily sighed. "Bella, this isn't the time to be stubborn. Jake has me, Sam, Leah, Quil, Paul, Embry, and Jared here. Please, I know he wouldn't want you to miss school."

"Okay, fine, but I want you to give me daily updates, okay?"

"Sure. Now, I don't want you to worry, okay?" she told me.

"Okay. Bye!" I said.

"Bye, Bella. I miss you."

I had forgotten that Rosalie, Jasper, Emmett, and Alice were at the table with me as well. They looked at me with a concerned face. I hadn't also realized that tears were still streaming down my face.

Jasper spoke up first. "Are you okay, Bella?"

"I think I will be," I said this shakily.

"What happened?" Rose asked.

I told her about the conversation I had with Emily and Leah. She wasn't affected much since she wasn't that close with Jake.

I excused myself and went to the bathroom. I splashed cold water on my face to try to minimize the redness in my face. As soon as it looked somewhat better, I made my way to Biology.

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**So sorry I wasn't able to update soon. I have been having problems with the internet. So, is the chapter any good? Please do review. Thanks a lot. I would also be very happy if you can give me ideas as to what you want to happen next. )**


	7. A Dip in the Pool

**I'm so sorry I haven't updated in a very LONG time. School just got _really_ busy. And, to top it all off, I got a really bad case of writer's block. My friend actually helped me with this chapter.**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. All belong to the brilliant Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter Seven

I made it to Biology earlier than usual. Biology is a subject I'm quite fond of, actually. The only downside of this class was, well, my lab partner.

When I got into the room, there were only a few students. Mike was there as well. And so was Edward. I didn't mind him, though. I just put my books down and sat on my seat.

"Hey, Bella!" Mike greeted me as he approached my table.

"Mike! I didn't notice you here yesterday!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah, I wasn't feeling too well so I skipped my afternoon class," he said. At that moment, I felt that someone was looking at me. From the corner of my eye, I noticed that Edward was looking – no, glaring – at me.

"So, uhm, I heard about…you know. Uhm, Leah called me during lunch break. How are you coping?"

"Pretty well, I guess. Thanks for asking. It's nice to see a familiar face here, you know," I said with a small smile.

Just then class started. Mr. Costello started discussing about Human Heredity, something I had taken up with my tutor.

"Okay, class. Can someone tell me what codominance means and give the rest of us and example?" he asked.

I raised my hand. "Codominance describes genes that each have equal effect in making the character they control appear in the offspring. An example of this would be the genes of the A and B blood group. When both A and B are put together, they result in the AB blood type."

Mr. Costello was in awe. "Very well said, Isabella."

I gave him a small smile and sat back down. He continued the discussion until the bell rang, signaling the end of class. I immediately picked up my things only to be called by Mr. Costello.

"Isabella, I have noticed that you are fast becoming one of my best students at this time. You seem well-informed of the topic we are taking up. Keep up the good work!"

I felt my face heat up. "Um, thank you, Sir. I will see to it that I will do my best."

As I got out of the room, I saw that Mrs. Baltazar was waiting for me outside the door.

"Ah, Isabella. Just the person I was looking for." She said with a sly smile.

"Yes, Ma'am?" I asked politely.

"We have a dance this Friday. And, according to your cousin, Miss Rosalie Hale, you are a very talented pianist."

I blushed at this. "I'm not that good, honestly. I just had a lot of free time back in New York so I had time to practice. I can't be anywhere as good as they say you are."

She chuckled. "I know that, Isabella. But, wouldn't it be awkward if a teacher was the one providing the live entertainment for a school dance?"

"Oh." I gulped. "You mean that I will be playing the piano?"

"Yes, that would be right. The dance is this Saturday, by the way. And you'll be playing several duets, too. You'll be playing with your partner, of course."

I nodded since I was speechless. Playing the piano for a school dance? With Edward Cullen? Oh no.

I rushed to French, afraid that I would be late. I got there just as the teacher was about to step in the room. It passed without much incident. A few more vocabulary words, a short quiz and a bit of discussion. I hurried out the door the moment the bell rang.

I walked into the room as quietly as I could.

"BELLA!" I heard Alice call from somewhere. It made me wince. I guess I was not quiet enough. What kind of plan does she have in store now?

"Yes, Alice?"

She hesitated for a moment. "I was wondering…would you like to lounge by the pool with us?"

"Pool? As in, swimming?"

"You don't have to swim if you don't want to. It's a beautiful afternoon! Don't let it go to waste!"

I sighed. What else can I do, anyway? "Okay, Alice."

"Yes! I prepared your bathing suit on your bed."

"Okay. I'll go change."

When I got to the room, I looked at my would-be clothing. It looked pretty good, actually. It was a simple two-piece that I would do for me.

I grabbed my sunglasses, towel and sunscreen before I left for the pool.

When I got to the poolside, Alice and Rosalie were already on chaise lounges, basking under the sun. Jasper, Emmett and Edward, on the other hand, were in the pool.

I chose the lounge right next to Alice. She gave me a small smile as I sat down.

She then started to ask me questions. "Who are you going to the dance with this Saturday?"

"No one."

"So, you aren't going to the dance?" She sounded surprised.

"Oh, I will be at the dance. As the _live entertainment_." I said the last part with disdain.

"What do you mean?"

"I was told that I would be playing the piano during the dance. Apparently, _someone_ told Mrs. Baltazar that I play exceptionally well." I spat out as I gave Rosalie a death glare.

Rose looked at me innocently. "What? I thought she was only joking! I didn't know she would take me seriously."

Alice gave her a blank look. "You should know by know that she takes _everything_ seriously."

I sighed. "It's okay. I'll just do it. After all, how difficult could it be?"

Both of them gave me an '_I know something you don't_' look.

I gave one last long sigh before I continued to lounge by the pool in silence.

I guess I fell asleep because when I opened my eyes again, Alice and Rosalie were in the pool, too.

I sat upright and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. I stretched since I guess I was in the same position for a very long time and I was starting to feel sore.

"Bella! You're awake!" Rosalie said from the pool.

"Come on, Bella. The water's great!" Alice assured me.

I shook my head. No one, and I mean _no one_, knew that I could not swim. Not at _all_.

"I think I'll just sit at the edge of the pool." I said, mostly to myself.

I was walking by the deep side of the large pool when I slipped and fell into the water.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"BELLA!!!!!" I heard them all scream.

I tried to find my way out of the water, desperately wanting to breathe.

The last thing I remember was that someone had his/her arms around me and I felt that we were getting higher and higher.

And then darkness engulfed me.

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**How was it?**

**Review, pretty please? :D**

**I will update _as soon as I can_. Honestly, I do not know how soon that is. Hopefully, it will be soon enough.**

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	8. Hello, Isabella

**Hey everyone. Here's chapter eight. I'm so sorry about the LONG wait. School was busy then I had a bad case of writer's block. :(**

**Please review. :) I will try my best to update as often as I can.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

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Chapter Eight

I woke up to the sound of soft whispers.

"Do you think she's okay?" I heard Alice whisper.

"I hope she is. Edward seemed to get there right before she hit the bottom." Rosalie answered back.

I decided to open my eyes. I was feeling very disoriented. And, my throat felt dry and painful. I looked around the unfamiliar room and saw Alice and Rosalie sitting at the foot of the bed.

"Um, where am I?" I asked, my voice sounding a bit hoarse. I found a glass of water on the bedside table and I drank it in one gulp. I then realized that I was very thirsty.

"You're at the hospital. I mean, where else would you be? You almost drowned back there!" Rose exclaimed.

"Sorry, Rose! I didn't plan that fall!" I exclaimed.

Alice smirked at me. "At least Edward was nearby to give you CPR."

I closed my eyes and shook my head to erase the images. "Ew."

"You should at least thank me. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be here now." I heard a voice say from the door.

"Thanks", I mumbled. I turned to Rosalie. "How long was I out?"

She thought for a moment. "Hmm. Just the whole night. It's Friday morning right now."

"Shoot!" I exclaimed. "When can I get out of this place?"

This time Alice was the one who responded. "The doctor said that you could leave this afternoon…if you woke up sometime today – which you did, by the way. I'll go tell him you're up. Be right back."

"Ugh. Does that mean the dance is tonight? Or tomorrow? I'm confused. She said this Friday. Then, in her next sentence, she said this coming Saturday."

"Actually, it's NEXT Saturday. It's a welcoming dance for the exchange students from the school Jasper and I used to attend in New York. Remember that?" Rosalie informed me.

"You mean…?"

"Yeah. It was actually the exchange program that made us decide to transfer here." She added.

"Just hope that your ex won't be part of this year's exchange." Jasper mumbled.

"I do have good news, though. Jacob's up and about. He was supposed to be a part of the exchange but his doctors wanted to keep him under their wing for about another week. Sam, Emily and Leah will be here, though," Rose told me with a smile.

Alice then returned to the room, the doctor walking closely behind her. I immediately recognized him as someone I haven't seen in a long period of time.

"Nice to see you up, Bella. How's Charlie?" a tall, pale blonde man asked as he went in to check on me.

"Why hello, Carlisle," I responded with a smile. "My dad's great. He's still managing the family business and working for the NYPD."

"You know my dad, Bella?" Alice asked. I didn't notice the curious looks on everyone else's faces.

"Yeah. I met him at one of the parties my parents' company hosted a few months ago. A fundraiser for the local hospital. They invited Carlisle and Esme," I replied.

"Ah, yes. Your parents threw quite a party," Carlisle said with a smile.

There was another confused look on the faces of Alice, Emmett and Edward. Alice spoke up for them, "I thought your dad's a criminalist and your mom's a lawyer."

I shook my head, "Not really. My dad inherited the company after my grandmother passed when I was younger. They can balance both because my grandmother had a great board of directors who maintained the company very well."

Carlisle continued what he was going to say. "You're good to go at around three this afternoon, Bella. In the mean time, relax and just rest."

"C'mon, Ali. You heard Carlisle. Time for Bella to rest. We'll come in at around two-thirty to bring you back to the campus," Rosalie told me as she started to walk out of the room.

"Rose, don't you have classes today?"

"Nope. We don't have classes every third Friday of the month. The faculty and the staff have a meeting that lasts 'til five," she explained. They all left after that. Or, so I thought.

Edward was still standing there by the door. I had almost forgotten about him.

"Thanks about…you know. Saving my life and stuff. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here now," I told him sincerely, with a small smile.

"No problem. That's what friends are for, right?" he replied. He had a look on his face that I couldn't quite decipher.

"Edward, what's the matter? Is something wrong?"

He hesitated for a moment. He ran his hands through his bronze hair. "I, uh, would like to know if you'd like to hang out tonight? As friends, of course. Well, actually, I'm speaking on behalf of the group. They wanted me to make up to you for being such a jerk. If you don't want to go, I'd – I mean – we'd understand. After all, it's only your first week here and…"

I cut him off from his rambling. "Of course, Edward. I'd love to join you guys. What exactly do you do?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't been joining them for a long time. But before, we'd eat dinner then maybe catch a movie or play some games."

"Okay. Thanks."

"Bye, Bella. See you later."

"Bye," I said as I drifted to sleep.

"Bella! Your clothes are on your bed! We'll meet you in the living room!" Alice told me as I was finishing my bath.

"Okay, Ali! Give me around five minutes more," I replied.

When I got out of the bathroom, I saw a pair of black skinny jeans, a long white shirt with a cute design and a very cute pair of white ballet flats.

I put the clothes on and walked out of the room. "Hey guys. Let's go?"

I walked together with Alice and Rosalie as the boys led the way to where we were going to hang out.

"So, I'm thinking we go to the mall tomorrow to buy our dresses for the dance next week," Rose suggested.

Alice nodded her head, "Yeah. We should. They might run out of good dresses."

They both looked at me. "You're coming with us, Bella," Rosalie said, sternly. She knew how much I did not like shopping.

"But only to give girl advice and stuff. I think I already have the perfect dress back in New York. My mom bought it for me when she thought my ex would bring me to prom last year. I'll ask her to ship it here."

"Ooh!" Alice squealed. "How does it look?"

I gave her a small smile, "You'll see."

We decided to eat in the food court which doubled as our cafeteria.

"So, what will we get you girls?" Emmett asked.

"I'll get lasagna." Rose said.

Alice spoke up, "I'll just have spaghetti."

They all looked at me. "Um, I'll have a salad?" It came out as a question. Honestly, I didn't know why.

Edward looked at me with a raised eyebrow, "I didn't think you were one of those girls who starve themselves."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I'm not. I'm not that hungry right now. And, for your information, I CAN eat. Especially when I'm hungry."

Rosalie laughed, "That's true, Edward. She can almost rival Jasper when she's hungry."

Edward shrugged and left to help Jasper and Emmett out.

I rolled my eyes at my cousin. "Okay, change of topic."

I realized that this was a mistake. The girls immediately started talking about next week's dance. As expected, they were going with their boyfriends. And, for the second time that night, they turned to look at me.

"Who are you going with, Bella?" Alice asked.

"Um, nobody. I'm going alone?" I replied, unsure of my answer.

"WHAT?!" Alice shrieked.

I cringed. I didn't realize how shrill her voice was.

Just then, the boys came back with our food.

"Who screamed?" Emmett asked.

"It was just Alice," Rosalie answered her boyfriend as if this happened everyday.

"What was she screaming about?" Jasper asked his twin.

"Bella told her she was going to next week's dance alone."

Jasper gave out a small laugh. He received a glare from his girlfriend.

He said, "Get used to it, Alice. She always goes to dances like those alone. Rose and I made it a point to invite her to our school dances so she wouldn't miss out on a lot."

I snorted. "Yeah. My mom would always force me in a dress."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "How do we get it through that thick head of yours? You're beautiful, Bella. You never see yourself clearly."

I felt my cheeks turn red. "Shut up, Rose."

Rosalie had a triumphant grin on her face. As always, she was saying that to make me feel better. At least, that's what I think.

"Besides," I added. "I'm used to attending these kinds of dances alone. I think that the only dance I'm hoping to attend with a date would be prom."

"Whatever, Isabella," Rosalie murmured.

"Again I say, 'Shut up, Lillian'," I said with a sneer. I knew how much Rose hated her middle name.

"Oh yeah. You guys aren't playing for the dance anymore. The teacher said that you should have some fun, Bells. I told her that your friends from New York are part of the exchange," Rose added before she took another bite of her food.

"Thank God." I said happily.

Today is the day we welcome the exchange students from New York. I had already agreed with Sam and Leah that we'd be meeting each other at the school entrance right before the assembly starts. I wasn't alone, of course. With me were Jasper, Rosalie, Alice, Emmett and Edward.

"Bella!" I heard someone call out.

"Sam! Leah! Emily!" I screamed as I waved at them to come over. "I missed you guys. So much."

I introduced them all to each other as we entered the school. But, someone grabbed my wrist and turned me around, only to see the person I dreaded to see the most.

"Hello, Isabella."


	9. Andrew, Edward, Bella and the Rest

**Here's the next chapter. Hope you guys will enjoy this. :D**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Twilight. ;)

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Chapter Nine

"Andrew!" I gasped out. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"I'm part of the exchange, of course," he said. "I missed you. So much."

"Well, I didn't. Not at all," I muttered.

"C'mon. We both know that I made one mistake."

"The only mistake I ever made was falling for you!" I snapped.

"There's someone else now, isn't there?" he asked.

"NO!" I snapped again. "I told myself that I would never go for guys like you – players who don't give a damn about how they girls they use feel!"

"Bella, I told you that it was an honest mistake! She was the one who came to my house!"

"Whatever. Just let go of me!" I said as I tried to yank my arm out of his grasp. But he wouldn't budge.

"Let go of her," a soft, velvety voice commanded.

"Ah, and who's this, Bella? My replacement?! I thought there's no one else?" he muttered, feigning hurt.

"Shut up, Andrew. He's just one of Jasper's friends. He doesn't mean anything to me," I said, immediately regretting what came out of my mouth. I took a look at Edward and I saw hurt written all over his face. _Damn. What have I done?_

"I guess you don't need my help then, huh, Bella?" Edward asked just before he walked away.

"Edward, wait!" I cried. I tried to run after him when I realized that Andrew was still holding my wrist.

I did the first thing that came into my mind. I bit his arm, causing him to yelp and let go. I ran as fast as I could, glad that I didn't trip on anything.

"This isn't over, bitch!" I heard him yell as I was running away.

I finally caught up with the rest back in the room. They were all sitting in the living room when I barged in.

"Bella! You look like hell. What happened?" Alice asked worriedly.

I was about to answer when Edward cut me off. He was watching TV but he wasn't actually paying attention to whatever was on. "She had a little run-in with her boyfriend."

I shot him a look. "_Ex_-boyfriend. There's a difference."

"Did he do anything?" Emily asked me. "Sam, Leah and I are here to help you out again. We didn't know he'd be part of the exchange. I know that he didn't submit his forms on time. His dad must've pulled some strings for him."

"Thanks for the offer. I missed you guys so much!" I exclaimed. But from the looks of their faces, they knew something was wrong.

"Are you sure you're okay, Bells?" Jasper asked me.

"Um, I think I just need to rest. You guys can go ahead if you want. Just send me a text or whatever." I looked at my friends from New York. "Guys, I'm so sorry I'm not much of a good host right now."

Jasper, Emmett, Sam, Emily and Leah gave me a nod. Edward didn't even look at me. He just kept scanning the channels on the TV while Alice and Rosalie exchanged a look.

I walked into the room and closed the door behind me. I grabbed my iPod put on some rock music and turned it up really loud so that I wouldn't be able to think much. I lay down on my bed started to cry. I didn't mean to hurt Edward's feelings. But he's just a friend. He's just a friend. He's just a friend. So why am I feeling so much guilt? I can't fall for him. I can't let myself make the same mistake again. It just hurts too much.

I felt a tap of my shoulder. I opened my eyes and saw Alice and Rosalie. I took my earphones out and looked at them.

"We know something's wrong. You didn't tell us the whole story," Rose stated.

"I'm fine. I am. I was just surprised to see Andy," I lied.

Thankfully, they believed me. Jasper and Emmett came in shortly after to tell us that they were hungry. I told the girls that I'd be fine without them – I wasn't hungry anymore.

I fell asleep shortly after that. I was pretty tired from everything that had happened that day.

Tonight was the night of the dance. The week passed without me or Edward speaking to each other. We'd sit down on our table during Biology but no one would say anything. I also avoided Andrew at all costs. Within the week, it was announced that it would be a masquerade ball. This sent Alice into a shopping frenzy since she did not have a mask to wear.

My dress had arrived that morning. I quickly hid it at the back of my closet so that neither Rose nor Alice would be able to get a look at it until the dance.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us, Bells?" Rose asked as she stepped out of the bathroom in her scarlet dress. It hugged her body perfectly. Her long blonde hair was styled in long, shiny curls and she finished her look with a pair of red stilettos.

I shook my head. "I'll catch up with you guys there later. You already did my hair and make up. I just need to put my dress on."

"Did you know that Edward doesn't have a date to this dance?" Alice came out of the bathroom next. She was wearing a spaghetti-strapped black dress that fell just below her knees. Her black hair was as spiky as ever and she, too, completed her outfit with a pair of stilettos. This time, in black.

We didn't know how each other's mask looked like. Alice thought that it would be fun guess who's who later on.

"Wow. That's a first. Usually, he'd be asking several girls to the dance, decide on one at the last minute, then leave her for another one at the middle of the dance," Rosalie said.

"Looks like your dates are already here," I murmured as I heard knocks on our bedroom door. "Well, see you guys at the ballroom later!"

When I was sure that they had left for the dance, I got my dress and took a look at it. It was a sapphire blue dress with a tight, strapless corset bodice and a princess skirt with folds and folds of voluminous fabric. I had also found a mask earlier that week. It was a full-face mask with only holes for eyes, and was made of the finest porcelain, with blue-and-silver beading.

I looked at the mirror one last time to make sure that nothing was out of place and made my way to the ballroom.

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**Well, that was chapter nine. I'll update again. Soon, hopefully. XD**


	10. Truth or Dare?

**Well, here's chapter ten. :)**

**Thanks to all those who reviewed the previous chapter!**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Twilight.

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Chapter Ten

When I walked into the ballroom, everyone stopped what they were doing. The silence was deafening. I looked around and realized that they were all looking at me. I even heard a few whispering, "_Who is she?_"

I felt the heat rise up to my face as I descended down the steps carefully. I didn't want to trip in the heels my mom had sent together with the dress. When I got to the bottom, I realized that I was thirsty so I decided to grab a drink.

"One Coke, please," I asked the teacher who was handing out the drinks to various students.

"Make that two," I heard a familiar velvet voice say from behind me. I turned around and saw Edward. I could tell from the messy bronze hair and the striking emerald green eyes behind the mask. I'd never seen him dress in black before, and, with the contrast against his pale skin, his beauty was absolutely surreal. On his face was a mask similar to the one of the Phantom of the Opera.

"Hey. Are you new? I don't think I've seen you around before," he said after taking a sip of his soda.

"Yeah. More or less," I replied.

He thought about this for a moment. "Ah, you must be part of the exchange program!"

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding in. I didn't want him to recognize me. Not yet. I know that he was still upset about what I said last week. I also didn't want to get close to someone like him so soon. I needed some kind of assurance that tells me he's different and sincere.

"Yeah. From New York." I lied.

"Well then, I'm Edward Cullen," he said with that crooked smile of his.

"I think it's better if I keep mine a secret," I said with a sly smile.

"I see that you're the mysterious type," he concluded just as soft music began to fill the room. "May I have this dance?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't dance," I tell him with a nervous giggle.

"You sound just like my friend," he said. "Well, I'm not sure if we're friends anymore."

"Why is that?" I asked curiously. "That is, if you don't mind telling me."

"I don't mind. Not at all," he said with a chuckle. "You see, I was a jerk to her when she first came here. But, I tried to change. And she told me we could be friends. We were doing well, I guess. But last week, she met her ex from New York. I saw them talking. I also saw that she was trying to get out of his grasp. I tried to help. But, she said that I was nothing to her. I know that she was only saying that so that her ex would drop it…"

"But?" I asked as he trailed off.

He continued. "But, I don't think she would have said that if she didn't mean it. Maybe, I thought, there was a part in her, even just the tiniest part, which believed it was true."

"Maybe she just wants to see that you really meant it when you told her you'd change. Maybe she was still having doubts about your friendship," I tell him.

He thought about this for a moment. "Maybe you're right. Thanks for your help."

"No problem," I smiled. "I'm sorry but I have to cut our little chat short. I have some friends who want me to meet them in a short while."

"It's okay. It was a nice chat. See you around?" he said as I walked away.

I looked over my shoulder. "Maybe. Maybe not."

I quickly made my way towards the restrooms. I grabbed my phone out of my small purse and sent a quick message to Alice and Rose.

_Hey guys. Meet me by the restrooms in two minutes. :)_

_xoxo,_

_Bella._

Two minutes later, I noticed Alice and Rosalie. Both of them had their masks off. I waited until they figured out which one I was in the small crowd.

"Bella, is that you?" Alice asked, unbelieving.

I smirked, "Yeah, who else would it be?"

"I dunno. Someone else?"

"She meant that as a rhetorical question, Ali," Rose told her. "Love the dress, Bells. And the mask."

"Yeah, me too!" Alice squealed.

I blushed. "Thanks, guys. That meant a lot to me."

After our short exchange, I quickly told them what had happened between me and Edward.

"So Edward has no idea?" Alice asked.

I nodded my head. "He thinks I'm part of the exchange program."

Rose laughed. "Good one, Bells."

"But I don't want him to find out it was me. I'll be the one to tell him – once I'm ready, of course."

"Sure, sure," they both said at the same time.

"Well, I guess I'll go back to the room now."

"So soon?" Alice asked.

"Yeah. I don't want to risk Edward finding out."

"Okay. We'll see you then. Bye!" Rose called out as they left to return to their dates.

I stepped out of the ballroom as quietly as I could. I didn't want anyone to notice that 'the girl in the blue dress' was gone.

I entered our little penthouse and made my way into the girls' room. I changed out of my dress and into my comfy pajamas. I made sure that my dress was safely hidden at the back of my closet. I also made sure that my face was make-up free and my hair was normal. I grabbed my 'Pride and Prejudice' book, settled on one of the beanbags and began to read.

I was just getting to the part where Mr. Darcy tells Lizzie that he loves her when I heard Alice scream, "We're hoooome!"

"Gah, Alice! Why'd you have to be so loud?" I heard Emmett tell her.

"You're loud, too, Emmett!" Alice retorted.

"WELL, THAT'S TRUE!" Emmett boomed.

I quickly put my book down and went out to meet them.

"Bella! We missed you at the dance!" Jasper exclaimed.

"I was there. For about five minutes. It was too crowded," I explained. "Well, you guys better get changed. Then, we'll find something to do after."

They went into their respective rooms while I remained seated on the living room floor. They came out ten minutes later, in their pajamas as well.

"Ooh! I have an idea!" Alice told the group as they were sitting down. I also happened to notice that Edward sat down right beside me.

"Okay," I told her. "But let me get something first."

They all watched me as I walked into the kitchen, grabbed an empty plastic bottle, placed it in the middle of our little circle and sat back down on my seat.

"Okay," I began. "This is how we do it: someone spins the bottle. Whoever the bottle is pointing to, will decide between truth or dare. The one who spun the bottle gets to decide what the dare or the truth question will be. That way, it will be fair to all."

"Okay! I'll spin first!" Alice exclaimed.

She grabbed the bottle and spun it around. It kept spinning and spinning until it landed on Edward. I swear, I heard him gulp beside me.

Alice looked ecstatic. "Edward, truth or dare?"

Edward deliberated for a while. "Um, I guess I'll with dare."

Alice thought for a while then a huge smile appeared on her face. _What could she be thinking of?_

"I dare you to kiss Bella. On. The. Lips."

Shit.

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**Reviews, please? :) I would love to hear what you guys think.**


	11. Falling For The Same Trick Twice

**Hey guys! I've got an update for you. I know it's been around six months since I've last posted a new chapter and I'm terribly sorry for the delay. But, my Christmas break just started so I had enough free time to write this new chapter. : ) I decided to post one that is longer than usual as an early Christmas present.**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything.

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Chapter Eleven

Alice just dared Edward to kiss me.

I turned to face Edward and saw that he was as shocked as I was.

"Are you gonna chicken out, Ed? You already tried that once, didn't you?" Alice asked her brother with a smirk.

"B-b-but I wasn't in the right state of mind then," Edward stammered.

I looked at Edward again. He opened his mouth to say, "Won't Jasper and Rosalie kill me?"

"You're not getting out of this dare, Edward. I'm not killing you, at least, not now," Jasper said, teasingly.

Once again, I looked at Edward. He looked at me.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Let's just get this over with."

But before he could press his lips into mine, there was a knock at our door.

"Looks like game over for now. I think we have guests," Alice told us.

"But Edward has to do that dare some other time!" Emmett exclaimed.

The others laughed.

"Didn't Sam and the rest leave already?" I asked. "Who could be visiting at this hour?"

"Probably one of Edward's friends?" Rosalie said with a shrug.

Alice went to get the door. "Hi. Who're you looking for?"

"…or not." Jasper added as he looked at the doorway where Alice was.

"What the hell are _you_ doing here?!" I asked angrily. "You were supposed to leave with the rest!"

"Please, Bella. Hear me out," Andrew begged. "I made a mistake. _One_ mistake."

I glared. "It was a mistake you could've prevented!"

"Can we at least be friends?" he asked me. "I will be honest. You're a very interesting person, Bella. You never failed to make me laugh or keep me company."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not falling for that crap again."

"At least tolerate me?" he begged. "My father transferred me here because I got kicked out in my previous school."

I gave out a bitter laugh. "Failed your classes?"

"No," he said, "I missed class one too many times."

I snorted. "Why? You missed me so much that you curled up in a corner and turned emo?" I asked sarcastically.

"Well, yeah," he admitted sheepishly.

And then, much to my surprise, he started bawling his eyes out. "I'm so screwed up, you know? I pushed you away. You were the only one who cared enough for me.

"And I ruined it by allowing that girl into my house that day. Did you know that, right now, no one talks to me in school anymore? I'm screwed. I know I am, which is why my dad sent me here. But, I didn't know this is where you moved. Hell, I didn't even know you stopped homeschooling and moved to boarding school until I saw you that day."

I felt sorry for him. Honestly, I did. So, I walked up to where he had his meltdown on the floor and wrapped my arms around his balled up figure.

"Shh," I cooed, "It's all over now. You can start over here. You may not be popular or whatever, but it's still a start. Mike can help you fit in. You remember him, right?"

He nodded, "Yeah, we're roommates."

Just then, I was pulled up from the floor and dragged into the room. I looked up to see Jasper and Rosalie.

"Bella, how could you forgive him so easily?" Rose asked – angrily, I might add.

"He sounded sincere, Rose! More sincere than I ever heard him," I said, "And, don't worry. I'm _not_ planning on running back into his arms. Nuh-uh. _Never_."

Jasper breathed out a sigh of relief. "Oh, that's good. But you're going to be friends?"

"I'll wait and see. It all depends on how everything unfolds."

They both gave me a small nod and we walked back out into the living room.

"Dee, you're a mess," I told him, using the nickname I used before.

He laughed. "Thanks for listening to me, Bee. That's all I needed."

"Sure, no problem," I said with a smile. "It's getting late, I think you should probably go."

"Yeah, I should," he told me while he glanced at his wristwatch.

I led him to the door, "See you tomorrow?"

He smiled, "Yeah, see you."

I closed that door and let out a sigh of relief. At least now I know Andrew's not going to be one of those crazy ex-boyfriends I see on TV or in the movies.

I walked back to where everyone else was.

"Looks like I'm going to call it a day. Good night, guys," I said with a yawn.

They all said their cheerful "Good nights!" except for Edward who just grunted.

I rolled my eyes and muttered, "Someone's in a bad mood."

I walked in the room and changed into my pajamas before I jumped into bed. I thought of the things that just happened before I drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

I felt poking at my side. Consistent, annoying pokes that were coming one after the other. I struggled to open my eyes and, when I did, I saw Emmett's face right in front of mine.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" I screamed out in surprise. Then, I fell off the bed and landed on the floor with an, "Oompf!"

I heard a smack and an, "Ow!"

I laughed. I looked and saw that Rose just smacked her boyfriend on the head.

"Isn't it Saturday today?" I mumbled.

"It is," Alice told me, "But Rose, Emmett, Jasper, and I will be heading to the mall."

"Okay. You guys can go. BYE!" I told them.

"Bye, Bella. See in a few hours," they waved.

I walked into the kitchen a few minutes later to look for something to eat. I saw Edward on the kitchen counter, looking very preoccupied on his black MacBook. I grabbed a cup of yogurt from the fridge.

"Good morning, Edward," I greeted him.

He jumped up in surprise. "I didn't see you there," he told me.

"Yeah, you seemed pretty occupied," I explained.

A few minutes of silence passed between us as Edward resumed typing on his laptop and I ate my yogurt.

I decided to say something, "Listen, Edward. I'm really sorry about that comment I made last week."

He looked up from the screen, "Don't worry, Bella. I know that you had to do something to keep Andrew away."

I sighed, "Seriously, Edward. I didn't mean it. And, I saw how hurt you looked after that comment escaped my mouth. I really feel bad about it."

"Like I said, Bella, 'No worries'," he told me with a small smile.

"Okay. That's good to know," I said with a smile.

Another few minutes of silence passed before Edward spoke up.

"Um, Bella?" Edward asked me.

"Yes, Edward?" I answered.

"Would you, um, like to, um, hang out sometime? Maybe like a date?" he asked.

"Not right now, Edward. I'm still trying to recover from my most recent heartbreak. And, how would I know that I'm not going to be one of _those_ girls?" I answered honestly.

I saw Edward's face drop so I added, "Not that I don't want to. Just give me time okay?"

"Okay, Bella. I'll respect your decision. But, I'll be waiting for that day. I won't be hanging around any girl until that day comes or after," he told me seriously.

I nodded at him with a smile. I went back into my room and decided to take a bath. Afterwards, I grabbed a pair of skinny jeans and a light blue button-up polo shirt.

I decided to start on my English report on Sense and Sensibility after I put my iPod on the dock and played classical music – something to help me think of the right things to type on my report. I was typing away for who know how long when I heard my stomach grumble.

I grabbed my wallet and walked out of my room to look for Edward to ask him if he wanted anything. But, when I got out, I didn't see him in the living room, kitchen, or his bedroom. What I heard, though, was piano music. I decided to follow the sound. It led me to a door I never noticed before – it was the same color as the wall and was right beside the door leading outside. I opened the door slightly and saw Edward there, sitting on a majestic black grand piano, playing something so beautiful.

I didn't know how long I was standing there; I just heard the piano stop. I saw that Edward was looking at me.

"Uh, sorry. I didn't mean to intrude. I was just going to ask you if you wanted me to get you anything for lunch," I said, "I was just about to head to order Chinese takeout."

"I'll go get food for you then," he told me.

"No, no. It's okay. I can get my own food. I don't mind," I assured him.

"No, I insist. I go grab some Chinese food then. For both of us," he said with finality, before getting his wallet.

"Okay, fine," I muttered.

I looked at the piano for a while. "Hey, Edward?" I asked just before he went out.

"Yes, Bella?"

"Do you think I could borrow your piano for a while? I haven't practiced in so long."

"Sure, Bella," he said with a small smile. And with that, he went out of the room and into the hallway.

I sat on the piano bench and began doing finger exercises to familiarize myself with the ivory keys of the piano again.

I started to play the piece that I started to make during Music Appreciation. I had the tune of the entire song ready; I just needed to put in the right words to go with it.

I didn't realize how absorbed I had been in music until someone clapped their hands behind me when I played the last note of the piece I had composed.

"Wow," Edward breathed, "Rose wasn't joking when she said you were a very good pianist."

I blushed, "Thanks. Let's go eat?"

"Sure."

We ate in silence, which was interrupted by my phone ringing.

I immediately took it out of my pocket and looked at the caller ID. It was Rose.

"Hey, Bells. Looks like we're getting back later than usual. Alice just saw a sale sign in one of her favorite stores' windows," she told me.

"It's okay, Rose. Take all the time you need. I'm doing my reports and other homework, anyway," I assured her.

"Okay. But, I'll make sure we'll be back by dinner time. That way, we can all eat together. Ask Edward if he wants to join us, okay?"

"Sure, Rose. Bye!"

I looked at Edward, "Rose was asking if you're going to join us for dinner later."

"Uh, sure. Okay. I haven't eaten with them in a long time, anyway," he replied.

"Well," I started, "I guess I'll go and continue my homework. Thanks for lunch, Edward."

"Anytime," he replied with sincerity.

"You know what, Edward?" I said, "You really seem like you're bent on changing for the better."

"Thanks, Bella. That means a lot, coming from you," he told me with a smile.

* * *

I was still working on my English report and, when I checked the time on my phone, it said that it was past 6 o'clock in the evening.

I realized I had to freshen up when I saw in the mirror that I looked like a mess. After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I applied mascara, eyeliner, and lip gloss – the only makeup I wear. I tried to brush my hair but it wouldn't cooperate. So I decided to tie it up in a ponytail, leaving my bangs down and swept to the side.

I decided to go tell Edward to get ready for dinner since the rest of the group could arrive anytime soon.

Since I didn't see him in the kitchen, living room, or his piano room, I decided to check the guys' room. The door was slightly ajar so I thought I was okay to peek in.

What I saw in the room caught me off guard. Sure, Edward was there. But, his back was pressed to the wall and Jessica Stanley was in front of him. Not only that, but his lips were also on hers.

I let out a surprised gasp.

"Bella?" Edward gasped out. "This is _not_ what you think!"

Jessica just looked at me with a smug smile on her face. She then grabbed her purse and walked out.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "Then what is it? Because I know what I saw."

"Bella, please? Let me explain!" he pleaded.

I looked at him and shook my head slowly.

I grabbed my phone and my iPod before running out of the room. I didn't know where my feet were taking me until I felt the sand on my feet. I plopped down on the shore and the tears started to fall.

_Why did I believe him when he said he'd change for me? I can't believe I've fallen into another player's trick again._

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**Hope this one's okay. : ) I'll try to upload another chapter soon. I can't guarantee anything because school is really hectic right now. Plus, I've got other activities like my extracurricular activities, family gatherings and Christmas parties.**

**Review, please?**

**HAPPY HOLIDAYS, GUYS! Hope you'll enjoy them.**


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